PARIS -- The curse is lifted.In eight matches at either the European Championships or World Cup dating back to 1962, Germany had never beaten Italy.The ninth time broke the spell.The Germans can now stop calling the Italians their Angstgegner -- feared opponent.But Germany had to pull out its specialty party trick to do it: the penalty shoot-out.After 120 minutes of normal and extra time ended 1-1 on Saturday, Jonas Hector hit the winning penalty kick that put Germany into the Euro 2016 semifinals.Here are 5 things to know about the quarterfinal in Bordeaux.---FOOTBALL CHESS:This was a game for tactics geeks, not neutrals hoping for end-to-end action.German coach Joachim Loew paid Italy a fine compliment by changing his formation for this match, choosing to fight fire with fire by playing three defenders at the back like his Italy counterpart Antonio Conte.The German back three of Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Benedikt Hoewedes left less space for the Italian attacking pair of Graziano Pelle and Eder to operate. Joshua Kimmich, on the right, and Hector, on the left, played as wing backs in Loews formation, hugging the touchlines, pushing high up the pitch and pulling Italy out wide.In front of the German back three, central midfielders Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos provided another screen for the Italians to penetrate. Their 135 caps for Germany were more than the combined total of the central midfielders and two wingbacks that Conte fielded in his 3-5-2 formation.When Khedira suffered an apparent groin strain and had to be substituted after just 16 minutes, Loew was able to call upon a player with even more experience: Manchester Uniteds Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was making his 119th appearance.More than anything, the German formation seemed to mess with Italian minds. The enterprising Italy team that comprehensively outplayed 2012 champion Spain in the previous round thought twice about going forward. Instead of prowling down the wings as they had against Spain, Italy wingbacks Mattia De Sciglio and Alessandro Florenzi were far less intrepid and spent a lot more time reinforcing the defense.---GAME OF TWO HALVESAs the teams took a breather after a goalless first 45 minutes, the boffins at statistics outfit Opta tweeted that of the 18 goals scored in the two teams previous encounters at major tournaments, 15 -- or 83 percent -- came after half-time.Sure enough.Mezut Ozils opening goal for Germany followed by Leonardo Bonuccis equalizer from the penalty spot stalemated the teams at 1-1, and that was how the score stayed to the end of extra time.Settling for a shootout against Germany was a big mistake. Since losing its first penalty-kick contest to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship final, Germany has now won six on the trot at the tournament and the World Cup.Italy joins France, Mexico, England (twice) and Argentina as victims of German efficiency from the spot.---SUPER MARIOOut-of-favor Mario Gomez only got to witness Germanys 2014 World Cup win from afar, left out of Loews squad that triumphed in Brazil.Recalled by Loew in November after impressing for Besiktas in Turkey, the 30-year-old former Bayern Munich striker is now making the most of his renaissance.Gomez was instrumental in Ozils goal, holding up the ball on the left wing and then getting it to Hector. He laid it on for the on-rushing Arsenal midfielder to smash into Gianluigi Buffons net.---BOATENG GOES BONKERS:In Germanys European Championship opening win against Ukraine, Jerome Boateng used his long legs to pull off an incredible goalmouth block that just, by centimeters, kept out a shot that would have levelled the score at 1-1. The stunning reflexes and athleticism confirmed the Bayern Munich mans status as one of footballs best defenders and made him the talk of social media.He also made a fine block against Italy, just getting a right foot in to deflect a shot from Stefano Sturaro.But, with Germany ahead and in control in the second half, he then inexplicably lost his head against Italy, needlessly giving away a penalty that put Contes team back in the game.Not lifting your arms in the box is basic A-B-C stuff for defenders. Yet that is exactly what Boateng did as the ball came into Germanys box, raising both arms.Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai immediately pointed to the spot.Twitter, of course, was merciless, quickly making Boateng the butt of jokes .----MISSING DE ROSSIDaniele De Rossi was Italys most prolific passer from midfield before this match, attempting 115 passes and completing 98 of them. Against Spain, he completed 36 passes in the 54 minutes he was on the pitch. Only defenders Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini completed more.Against Germany, his absence because of a thigh injury was sorely felt. Without a ball distributor of his caliber, Italy looked disjointed. In the previous round, Italy bypassed the Spanish midfield entirely on numerous occasions but found that much harder to do against Germany.---John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. 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SAN DIEGO -- It appears Petco Park is going to have a hard time holding Hunter Renfroe.The rookie hit his first career grand slam and also had a three-run shot to drive in all the runs for the San Diego Padres in their 7-1 victory against the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.The Dodgers fell two games behind the NL East champion Washington Nationals for home-field advantage in their Division Series matchup.Renfroe says hes felt comfortable at the big downtown ballyard since his first big league plate appearance Wednesday night, when he was intentionally walked.Since then hes hit three impressive home runs, including his first one off San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner on Friday night.Im very comfortable, said Renfroe, San Diegos first-round pick in the 2013 draft and this years Pacific Coast League MVP.He hit a high, arcing three-run homer to left field off Kenta Maeda with two outs in the first inning. Renfroes grand slam to straightaway center came on a full-count pitch from Louis Coleman with two outs in the eighth. Renfroe has three homers in six games.Padres manager Andy Green said Renfroes grand slam, which came on a fastball after he fouled off several sliders, was about as hard as Ive seen a baseball hit all year.Hunter Renfroe is going to be a dynamic player at this level when he stays in the strike zone, Green said. Theres really no other message for him or about him. He can hit anything. He just has to get him over the plate. When he does that, its as much damage as anybody would have.Renfroes seven RBI were one shy of the team record.The rookie said hes keeping things in perspective.One of the big things is you cant think of it as more than what it is, he said. Its a game. Youve been playing it since youre 4 years old or what have you. You cant think of it more than that. Its just on a bigger stage and more fans and everything is kind of magnified. You cant think too much in it. You cant be afraid to fail.Dodgers rookie manager Dave Roberts was on the Padres staff the last several years, so he knows about RenfroeHes got big power, Roberts said. We left some ballls out over the plate and elevated to him, and do that with a power hitter and that can happen.dddddddddddd He had a big day.Maeda had faced the Padres three times earlier this year, but they have a lot of new players since his last start against San Diego on July 10.It wasnt miscommunication as much as it was facing these new hitters and I wasnt familiar with them, he said through a translator.Maeda (16-10), who beat the Padres 7-0 at Petco Park in his big league debut on April 6, had his start moved up one day so hell get another one before the playoffs begin.Paul Clemens (4-5) held the Dodgers to one run and three hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked one.Chase Utley homered for the Dodgers in the third, his 13th.TV SURPRISESome Padres fans were surprised when a spokesman for the San Diego Chargers was interviewed on the Fox Sports San Diego broadcast early in the game. Fox executive Henry Ford said the Chargers spokesman, Fred Maas, was a guest of the network. His appearance in no way reflects a position or endorsement by the Padres, nor FOX Sports, Ford said in an email. Padres management was not given advance notice of his appearance, and we apologize for any confusion this may have caused. While the Padres have said they want to see the Chargers stay in San Diego, they say they havent been given adequate answers to several questions about how a new downtown stadium would affect Petco Park. The Chargers will ask voters on Nov. 8 to approve a hotel tax increase to help pay for a new stadium and convention center annex that would be close to Petco Park.TRAINERS ROOMDodgers: 1B Adrian Gonzalez left the game with a sinus infection. Roberts said he doesnt think its serious.UP NEXTDodgers: Rookie RHP Jose De Leon (2-0, 5.52 ERA) had his start pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday. He beat the Padres 7-4 in his major league debut on Sept. 4 at Dodger Stadium.Padres: Rookie RHP Luis Perdomo (8-10, 5.59) is scheduled to make his 20th start for the Padres. Cheap NFL JerseysWholesale JerseysWholesale NFL JerseysJerseys From ChinaWholesale NFL JerseysCheap NFL JerseysCheap Jerseys ' ' '